Better environment.
Better collaboration.
Better work.

About Slack and Company

Some b2b agencies focus only on branding. Others specialize in demand generation. But at Slack and Company, we believe that both disciplines—working together as one, and unified with a common purpose—offers b2b marketers the very shortest path to success.

In fact, studies show that when demand generation is in harmony with the brand's positioning, each function generates significantly better results. But when brand and demand are siloed, the effectiveness of both suffer greatly.

That's why Slack and Company focuses on both sides of the equation—simultaneously building strong, differentiated brands while driving quantifiable demand. All so that our clients can achieve greater share of mind, heart and wallet.

That's the shortest distance from b to b.

Some b2b agencies focus only on branding. Others specialize in demand generation. But at Slack and Company, we believe that both disciplines—working together as one, and unified with a common purpose—offers b2b marketers the very shortest path to success.

In fact, studies show that when demand generation is in harmony with the brand's positioning, each function generates significantly better results. But when brand and demand are siloed, the effectiveness of both suffer greatly.

That's why Slack and Company focuses on both sides of the equation—simultaneously building strong, differentiated brands while driving quantifiable demand. All so that our clients can achieve greater share of mind, heart and wallet.

Services and capabilities

Broad expertise, for well-focused strategies.

Our approach to solving complex business marketing challenges starts with a 100% media-and solution-neutral approach—made possible by our expertise across the entire range of marketing disciplines.

Marketing Strategy

Branding

Demand Generation

Personalities with purpose

Sort of like that kale/meatball thing we tried for lunch yesterday, or the band Paul McCartney played in before Wings, Slack and Company is truly more than the sum of its parts. But our "parts" are pretty interesting too. Get a glimpse of our leadership team below.

Some of the brands we’re working with:

The North American-based international trade group providing innovative business development resources to advance the off-road equipment manufacturing industry in the global marketplace.

Carlisle Interconnect Technologies is one of the world’s leading designers and manufacturers of high performance wire and optical fiber.

The fourth-largest largest tissue paper manufacturer in North America, producing paper hand towels, paper towels, bathroom tissue, facial tissue, napkins and wipers, and also designing dispensers for its tissue products.

CEIR provides industry-leading research on the North American exhibitions and events industry and houses the world's largest collection of primary, exhibition-related research studies.

Choice Hotels International (NYSE: CHH) is one of the largest and most successful lodging companies in the world with more than 6,300 hotels in more than 35 countries.

The Clorox Company offers products that make everyday life better, with their many well-known household and professional brands across a wide variety of products.

Construct Connect provides critical project bidding information and project management services to over 700,000 construction managers, general contractors, manufacturers and architects across the United States.

A global leader in silicones, silicon-based technology and innovation, Dow Corning provides performance-enhancing solutions that make the world healthier, greener and more productive.

One of the world’s largest manufacturers of pumps, valves, seals and components to the power, oil, gas, chemical, and other industries.

Gates Corporation is a global diversified industrial company that provides advanced power transmission and fluid transfer solutions by engineering products and services that reduce the total cost of ownership.

GE works on things that matter, finding solutions in building, powering, moving and curing the world.

Herman Miller's inspiring designs, inventive technologies and strategic services help people do great things and organizations to perform at their best..

Ingredion Incorporated is one of the world’s leading ingredient solutions providers, turning raw materials into a myriad of ingredients for the food, beverage and pharma industries as well as industrial sectors.

Want to be part of the picture?

Global reach. Global insights.

Think bigger.

Slack and Company is a charter member of the Worldwide Partners B2B Network—the world's largest network of independent agencies that either specialize in b-to-b marketing or offer it as an area of practice. No other resource can bring together more global b-to-b experience and expertise, for better insights across markets and more effective marketing as a result.

Gary Slack

Chairman, Chief Experience Officer

Gary finds ways to achieve his goals. He started Slack and Company (then under a different name) back in 1988 with just one client. During a recession. While his wife was pregnant with their second son. This year, Gary is celebrating the agency’s 25th anniversary.

Gary has earned several Agency of the Year nods, not to mention landing on BtoB Magazine’s list of the "Top 100 Influential People in Business-to-Business Marketing." But to him, what matters most is developing strong brands and achieving measurable results for his clients.

Before he founded the agency, Gary spent 11 years in senior management roles at Omnicom agencies Doremus & Co. and Porter Novelli. Fresh out of college, he worked as a reporter for a newspaper in his native New Mexico.

Gary is also involved in the local business community, most notably as two-time past president of the Business Marketing Association’s Chicago chapter. And he served as chairman of BMA National’s executive committee for the 2009-2010 program year. He’s also on the boards of both the Economic Club of Chicago and the Chicago Council for Science and Technology. Oh, and if you ever find yourself at the Chicago Botanic Garden on the weekend, keep an eye out for Gary, hunched over one of the garden’s rarer specimens.

Gayle Novak

EVP, Executive Account Director, Director of Client Services, Partner

What would it feel like to pet an elephant? Or better yet, how would it feel to get a lift on his trunk?

Since childhood, Gayle has been full of questions and wonder about people and places and possibilities.

No wonder, then, that she turned that need to know and understand into a benefit for her clients. Whether working on a branding assignment, improving how we do business with clients or working with her agency team to develop a new offering, Gayle can be counted on for questions that uncover insights and lead to better results.

As Director of Client Service, Gayle focuses on three key areas: setting and guiding agency processes and protocols; collaborating throughout the agency to improve processes and innovate for future enhancements; and consulting with clients to ensure the agency is satisfying expected deliverables and adding value. In addition, Gayle also consults as needed on client brand and strategic IMC assignments.

Prior to joining us, Gayle honed her strategic thinking and branding skills at agencies and companies including Zócalo Group, Mobium Creative Group, Doner Advertising, Ernst & Young, Temerlin McClain and Wyse Advertising. In those roles she led work for clients including Penton Publishing, Kelly Services, Nortel Networks, J.C. Penney, American Greetings, DuPont, Motorola, Smucker’s, John Morrell, TRW, Quaker State and Ernst & Young. Gayle’s branding work here at Slack and Company includes introducing new safety certification services from Underwriters Laboratories, positioning and introducing the Fellowes line of 100% Jam Proof shredders, and repositioning the Dow Corning® and XIAMETER® brands of the Dow Corning Corporation.

When she's not being curious on behalf of her clients, her curiosities include Stuey (her personal trainer cat to elite athletes), traveling, theater, pop culture and all things Amish. She's currently pitching her late-night talk show, "Gayle After Dark," to the TBS network.

Ron Klingensmith

EVP, Chief Creative Officer, Partner

Ron is an intense guy. Whatever he's doing, whether it’s bird watching, biking or brainstorming, his focus is simply beyond compare. As Chief Creative Officer for Slack and Company, Ron oversees the Creative department, making sure the work is relevant, differentiating, and delivers on the agency’s three guiding creative principles—clarity, humanity and integrity.

In addition to providing creative leadership and direction across all client accounts, Ron’s role is to push the agency to create new experiences that disrupt commoditized communications and influence audience behavior.

Throughout Ron’s 22-year tenure at Slack and Company, he has produced award-winning work for clients such as NutraSweet, CareerBuilder.com, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Apartments.com, Fellowes and Dow Corning, to name a few.

His work has been honored numerous times by the American and International Business Awards (Stevies), BMA B2 and Tower Awards, CEBA, Davey, Summit Creativity, ACE and Tempo Awards.

Before arriving at Slack, Ron spent nearly a decade at consumer agencies, including a five-year stint at J. Walter Thompson, working on branding campaigns for Hyatt Hotels, Northern Trust Bank and the launch of several Kellogg cereal brands. This consumer sensibility, combined with Ron's love for strategy, is a major reason why our creative product is so people-friendly, while still driving measurable results.

The next time you're in the agency, stop by this enthusiastic native Chicagoan’s office for a chat, or to check out his antique camera collection. His door is always open.

Kelley Fead

EVP, Brand Practice Leader, Partner

Kelley Fead is a strategic storyteller, helping our clients stake out bold brand positions and leverage them in a compelling way to help drive business growth.

A writer, strategist and creative director by background, Kelley has helped global companies rename and reposition themselves, sharpen their brand focus, carve out new markets, and launch new products and services. Kelley leads and collaborates with our clients through the whole foundational process, from research and touchpoint identification to company values creation and employee engagement—all the way to naming, positioning, messaging and visual identity. Working from the inside out, Kelley helps multidisciplinary client teams launch, activate and deepen the meaning of brands through integrated marketing communications efforts with both employees and marketplaces.

Kelley has been involved recently in naming, creation of brand fundamentals and activation for GE and the GE Predictivity™ brand of Industrial Internet solutions; the brand launch and activation of Ingredion, which is the new name of the former Corn Products International and National Starch; and the repositioning of Google Analytics and launch of Google Analytics Premium. She also has worked with such clients as the Association of Equipment Manufacturers, Scot Forge, Brandmuscle, Edwards Wildman, Dairy Management Inc., eBay, RIM, AT&T, USG Framing, Tellabs, Nabisco, Dean Foods, The NutraSweet Company, Illinois Power and ServiceMaster Clean.

Kelley's a foodie cook at home and an avid diner-out. The perfect meal? Basil and tomatoes from the garden with farmers market mozzarella.

Rich Dettmer

EVP, Director of Digital Strategy, Partner

There are many sides to Rich Dettmer: digital philosopher, marketing professional and technologist. When he walks through the doors of the agency, Rich directs all of his strategic experiences on developing advanced digital marketing solutions for our clients. Rich is focused on deploying technology and data to develop valuable dialogues between the agency’s clients and their customers.

Like any good marketer, Rich identifies clients’ business goals to understand their messaging and target audiences. He then defines the strategies that bring the online channel mix to the clients’ overall communications plans.

Prior to joining Slack and Company, Rich was the chief technology officer of OgilvyOne/ OgilvyInteractive and director of technology for DDB Digital. At both of these agencies, Rich developed award-winning technology solutions and Web presences for companies like Ameritrade, Arthur Andersen and Anheuser-Busch.

Robert C. Jaeschke

Chief Financial Officer, Partner

With more than 25 years of experience in the field of corporate finance, Bob Jaeschke’s diverse resume extends beyond that of the typical chief financial officer to include human resources, strategic business writing and organizational reconstruction. As Slack and Company’s CFO, Bob tracks the day-to-day financial activities of all clients and provides client team leaders with expert financial advice as they plan their yearly budgets.

Prior to joining us, Bob was CFO at five major professional service companies in the Chicago area, most recently Kelley, Scott and Madison. While there, he headed up the accounting, finance and treasury functions of this $100 million media strategy and placement company. At Arian, Lowe & Travis Advertising he directed the accounting, finance, treasury and administration functions of the agency and saw billings increase from $20 million to $85 million during his eight-year tenure.

For the online startup igive.com, Bob worked with the CEO to recruit the management team, rewrite the business plan, secure $5 million in additional financing and even help find a celebrity spokesperson.

Bob graduated from the University of Illinois/Champaign with a B.S. in accountancy, and earned a Master of Business Administration from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. Bob is also a Certified Public Accountant.

Terry McDermott

VP, Media Director

Terry's quite a multitasker. For instance, at home his many roles include grillmaster, sommelier, Zamboni operator and ice-skate safety technician. And at Slack, he has a similarly varied range of responsibilities—largely owning to our agency's broad definition of media, which allows Terry the freedom to investigate a variety of possible approaches.

Terry manages the agency's media department and offers clients a broad range of creative solutions using new and innovative media planning devices. That includes strategies incorporating marketing automation platforms, lead generation components, and direct response techniques, in addition to CPM based programs seeking reach and frequency. An understanding of how clients capture and use data within their CRM programs is often to key to crafting effective media programs.

Terry has spent the last decade in a variety of marketing roles for clients in industries such as financial services, automotive, retail and telecom. His passion is determining appropriate target audiences for his clients, and developing creative channels to reach out and engage them in the client’s message. To measure campaign results, he has created reporting processes that are customized and modified for each campaign.

Prior to joining Slack and Company, Terry was head of media, reporting and analytics for Leapfrog Online. In addition, he headed the Marketing Services group at Scudder Investments.

Terry earned his bachelor's degree at The State University of New York at Binghamton, and he has an M.B.A. from Georgetown University.

Matt Finizio

VP, Creative Director

Matt has a lot of passions. Including hockey (Flyers), music (Springsteen), getting outdoors (with his family), and coming up with strategic and exciting new ideas (for Slack clients).

Since 2000, Matt has led award-winning creative work for Slack and Company, from concept through development, design and production.

Matt has received over 100 Chicago BMA Tower Awards, BMA B2’s, AMA and International Stevie Awards and CEBAs.

Before joining Slack and Company, Matt worked for four years at J. Walter Thompson in Chicago and, prior to JWT, at a promotion/direct marketing firm based in New York City.

Matt graduated from Washington University, in St. Louis Missouri, with a B.A. in Advertising/ Graphic Communication, and a minor in Business Marketing.

Marc Blumer

VP, Brand Strategy and Insights

Planning a well-integrated demand generation strategy requires a marketer who has worn a lot of hats. From a marketing standpoint, Marc has donned everything from a ball cap to a beret.

Over two decades, Marc has served stints as a creative director/copywriter, lead content strategist, direct response strategic lead, marketing automation consultant and all-around digital strategist for both inbound and outbound channels for demand generation and eCommerce.

Ultimately, Marc has positioned himself at critical intersection of data and content.

This enables him to guide clients to demand generation strategies that, by delivering highly relevant content to each individual within each critical audience exactly where they’re open to receiving it, creates meaningful, measurable engagements that drive bottom line metrics.

At Slack and Company, Marc has helped clients as diverse as Google, Nuveen Investments, Dow Corning, BMO Harris and Underwriters Laboratories engage, nurture and convert leads into sales through this integrated approach.

Marc earned a B.S. in Print Journalism from the University of Illinois – Champaign/Urbana and an M.S. in Direct Marketing from Mercy College.

Mike Ritt

VP, Associate Creative Director

Mike's versatility may surprise you. For instance, he's left-handed, except when throwing, batting or bowling. Not only a shredder on guitar, he's a bit of a multi-instrumentalist/recording engineer/voiceover artist, too.

That kind of range comes in handy at Slack, where Mike applies his ambidextrous talents to nearly every kind of persuasive communication material for clients, including brand position/messaging, print, digital experiences and websites, direct mail, brochures, newsletters, magazine editorial, TV and radio, corporate videos, radio spots and multimedia presentations.

Since joining Slack and Company in 2009, Mike has been responsible for concept and content development on a wide range of clients including the Dow Corning and XIAMETER® brands, Fellowes, Apartments.com, ITT/Goulds, Scot Forge, GE Power Generation Services, Arcelor Mittal and many more. Previously, he spent 12-plus years in progressively responsible creative positions at b-to-b agency Mobium Creative Group, working on integrated programs for clients including Motorola, CNH Global, CNH Capital, Case Construction, Pitney Bowes MapInfo, Accenture, Kaplan Financial, Polycom, NationsBank, VisionTek, ABC/Cap Cities, RR Donnelley, and Decisionmark.

Along the way, his work has been honored in BtoB Magazine's annual B2B's Best issues and earned a truckload of lucite awards including Chicago BMA Towers, NY BMA Aces, BMA B2s, International ProComms, International Stevies and Davey Awards.

Mike holds an M.S. from Indiana University and a B.A. from Colorado College.

Worldwide Partners, Inc.

The B2B Network is a part of Worldwide Partners, Inc. (WPI), the world’s largest international network of owner-operated advertising and marketing communications companies. WPI includes more than 80 advertising agencies in over 50 countries around the world. WPI is also the 10th-largest marketing communications networks—public or private.

WPI's collaborative approach and well-tuned processes make it a standout among independent networks—and can make literally anything in the world possible for Slack clients. (Learn more about WPI and the Worldwide Partners B2B Network here.)

In addition to our WPI network, we maintain relationships with a number of firms specializing in translation and localization of marketing communications. Our ability to delve into a deep pool of linguistic expertise ensures your marketing programs translate effectively—and resonate creatively—in any of hundreds of languages and dialects.